The Other Companion
by XenaPendragon
Summary: Hello, my fellow Xenites! This is an AU based on the episode Callisto. Who is this Gabrielle? And why does she want Xena dead?
1. Chapter 1

It was just another village.

At the time.

Still, I can never forget the screams and cries of my victims as they got dragged away from their houses, burning to the ground. I did instruct for the women and children to be spared, but I know my order was bent a little by some of my men.

I am thinking about this place very often recently, and I don't know why. A nameless town, nameless people. Just another obstacle. Just another 'nation' to destroy. Yet it keeps coming back to haunt my thoughts. Why? After all these years it keeps crawling back into my restless brain at night, keeping me awake in a burning sweat.

"Xena?" I hear her say behind me. She is riding behind me, so silently that I almost forgot she was there. I'm not used to travelling with someone else.

"Hm?"

"Where are we going now?" She asks. "Got any more bad guys to bust up?"

I turn around and smile briefly. I see her face is lit up with enthusiasm. How many did I condemn not unlike her? Young girls,who simply got in the way. 'Casualties of war' I used to call them. Somehow giving them this name seemed to clear my conscience.

"No, not that I know of. I just wanted to go to Thrace; Argo needs some new shoes and I could do with a nice cold mead."

"Oh." She is disappointed. I don't normally have off days, but they're nice when I can get them. Usually they are interrupted by-

Two in front, two behind.

I jump down and draw my sword. She stays in the saddle. Good. I'll take these alone, I don't want her getting into danger.

I take the first one.

He swings at my middle with his sword. I dodge, and kick his stomach, and he falls to the ground. Hang on, these people aren't soldiers, they're villagers!

There's another coming at my back.

Backstabbing coward.

I flip backwards and land behind him, waiting for him to realise we have switched places and that I have the advantage. I laugh at his stupidity and beckon him, getting the result I want. His face reddens and he charges towards me, yelling in anger. I stick out my foot and hammerfist his back, so he falls flat in his face.

2 more.

I can see her sat up there, enjoying the action, grinning at what she sees. I appreciate the company, but I'm not sure that she is cut out for my style of life. She looks as if she is merely enjoying a nice day out, her blonde hair hanging loosely around her face, eyes widened with excitement.

I block the swing, and use his own arm to flip him over, landing him roughly on his back, winded. Next one - a kick to the face, and I jump straight in with my fingers to his neck. I stab with them at the two places in his neck. A small trickle of blood begins to emerge from his nose.

"I've cut off-"

"The flow of blood to my brain, I know. We've heard all about what you do to people. Innocent people like all those you slaughtered back in Potadaeia. Do you even remember it? All those innocent women and children that you left to die at your orders?"

Potadaeia. That's what it was called.

"I _never _ordered the deaths of women and children. Things sometimes just - got out of hand."

"Anyway, can you get on with it?" He chokes. "What do you want to know? Or are you just going to let me die? Gabrielle warned me of such cruelty."

I don't know who this Gabrielle is, and I wonder how she knows me. I undo the pinch, and he falls to the ground. He is quite old, past middle aged, and his greying beard thickly covers half of his face.

"Who is this...Gabrielle?" I ask. "Why has she sent you?"

"Gabrielle is a kind and just girl who has had an awful start to life. All of her family were torched at your hand. She wants justice."

I turn around to glance at Callisto. She can't hear what he is saying. Maybe she should know the monster I was. Maybe I shouldn't keep this from her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Take me to her." I tell him.

He draws out some feeble looking handcuffs and holds them out to me expectantly.

"Oh please." I say impatiently. "I'm coming quietly!"

He looks dissatisfied, but nods and holds out his arm in the right direction. I mount back into the saddle and follow the 4 recovering men.

"Xena." Callisto whispers behind me. The deadly silence between the whole party is broken, but her words aren't loud enough for anyone to hear them but me.

"Yeah?" I reply, turning my head.

"Xena, what are you doing? Why are we going with these men? Didn't they just try to kill you?" She murmurs through her teeth. She spurs on her horse so she is riding alongside me.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll explain later. Just keep your head down and don't do anything I wouldn't do." She nods, but still looks concerned_. _I see her cast me sideways glances as we ride with troubled eyes and a furrowed brow.

We arrive in the village.

By the gods, the last time I saw this place it was not much more than a layer of ash. I remember how it was before I attacked; peaceful, colourful, and just about the happiest village I had ever entered. Looks like they've done a good job of rebuilding, but I can sense something not quite right about this place. It feels tense, and on edge, as if waiting for another attack. What have I done to these people? Destructed their whole lives. And now I've come back to haunt them. No wonder they'll spit at my feet as soon as I appear.

I nod at Callisto. She looks frightened, but the gleam of excitement is still there, however dull, in her eyes. I think she is worried about me.

"We're here." He says, and I swing my leg over Argo's body and jump down. Callisto copies my exact move and comes towards me.

"Xena-" She begins.

"It's all right Callisto." I say. I stare down at the ground. "The thing is, a long time ago I committed crimes here. Terrible, terrible crimes. Women and children died here at the hands of my men. There is a girl here who was one of the few left behind. She wants justice, they told me."

"Xena you can't-"

"Callisto. If she wants her vengeance then so be it. I can hardly blame her can I? Apparently she lost all her family that day."

Her brow is furrowed deeply, and she is shaking her head as I tell her.

"Look, I'll see what I can do. Just, leave it to me, okay?"

She takes a deep breath, and cocks her jaw slightly to one side.

"Okay." She sighs.

I squeeze her shoulder fleetingly and follow my 'captor'.


	3. Chapter 3

I've reuploaded this because I changed the tense and I wanted it to be in 3rd person, so just go and check that one out. I'll be uploading the whole thing soon for you guys! :)


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